Justice Mercy Humility

We've made following Jesus far too complex. We don't know what to do with all the things in the Bible that seem necessary, so we make them into a to-do list: love others, forgive those who hurt you, have joy, be patient, stay faithful, give to the hurting, serve in your church, pray without ceasing, confess your sins, and on and on. These are all great things, but is a checklist really what Jesus intended when he said, "Follow me"? More than two thousand years ago, the prophet Micah implored Israel to return to its true calling: "Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God." Could this plainspoken Bible verse not only sum up how we should live today but breathe a fresh purpose into our souls? In this practical and freeing book, pastor Rusty George shares the simplicity of what God desires from us. Living a faithful life should not be a chore, and George teaches how to put away our checklists and walk humbly according to God's will for our lives.

We've made following Jesus far too complex. We don't know what to do with all the things in the Bible that seem necessary, so we make them into a to-do list: love others, forgive those who hurt you, have joy, be patient, stay faithful, give to the hurting, serve in your church, pray without ceasing, confess your sins, and on and on. These are all great things, but is a checklist really what Jesus intended when he said, "Follow me"? More than two thousand years ago, the prophet Micah implored Israel to return to its true calling: "Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God." Could this plainspoken Bible verse not only sum up how we should live today but breathe a fresh purpose into our souls? In this practical and freeing book, pastor Rusty George shares the simplicity of what God desires from us. Living a faithful life should not be a chore, and George teaches how to put away our checklists and walk humbly according to God's will for our lives.

Praise for Lord, Have Mercy "Once in a while, I find a book about prayer that does something fresh. Claire E. Wolfteich provokes us to rethink the very nature of prayer and how it reshapes us as she discusses six examples of modern Christians confronting the complexities of social engagement and how to make responsible choices in favor of justice and human reconciliation." --Philip Sheldrake, professor, department of theology and religion, University of Durham; author, Spaces for the Sacred "Wolfteich provides carefully researched case studies from suburban Miami to the turmoil of apartheid South Africa, analyzing the relation of prayer to various human purposes. She guides the reader through the ambiguities of each case, giving no easy answers, teaching by asking questions. But on another, more personal level, the book is an ongoing conversation with the author. Her voice comes through again and again--quiet, intelligent, unpretentious--exposing her own vulnerabilities. We have here a book that is both instructive and moving--a rare thing." --Peter L. Berger, director, Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs, Boston University "For Wolfteich, Christian spirituality is 'prayerful engagement--humble, not presumptuous; prophetic, not passive; yet always contemplative in the best sense.' This is the best guide I know for helping Christians understand how prayer, in its many forms, is indispensable to social action." --Kathleen A. Cahalan, associate professor, practical theology, Saint John's University School of Theology and Seminary

What Does God Require of Everyone? Two spiritual leaders and friends-one Black, one White-have seen the injustice and racial hatred that has simmered under the surface of culture for decades, escalating in recent years. In Required, Bishop Claude Alexander and Dr. Mac Pier, both theologians and practitioners who have crossed the racial divide for over thirty years, take their readers down the pathway of awareness, ownership, and action regarding how Christians participate in the conversation of race from a faith perspective. Readers will be shown how they can: Engage their world with justice, humility, and mercy. Model behaviors that bridge difficult divides. Follow God's call toward conciliation and unity. Make a practical difference in their own spheres of influence. The vision of this book is to accelerate current and inspire future efforts toward the vision of justice expressed through a Church united across racial, ethnic, and tribal lines. Over forty Christians and Christian organization, institution, and movement leaders strongly endorse Required as a must-read book on overcoming racial division. Endorsements In Required, Claude Alexander and Mac Pier bear witness to the transformative power of cross-cultural exposure, cultural translation, and a passion for Christ-mandated conciliation and unity. With great transparency, they urge us to reflect on how our racial story connects to His Story and mission of reconciling our diverse world to Himself and each other. -Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Co-Convener, National African American Clergy Network Mac and Claude are two extraordinary men whom I admire deeply. Their work to advance racial justice and advocate for city transformation has been stellar. This book serves as both inspirational and a framework for advancing the gospel and overcoming racial division. -Bryan L. Carter, Senior pastor, Concord Baptist Church, Dallas, TX This book teaches, guides, and propels us toward God's design of racial reconciliation while highlighting the role of relationships and movements such as the Lausanne Movement and Movement.org in bridging the divide. A timely and challenging reminder that racial equality and racial justice are required of those who belong to God's new kingdom. -Las G. Newman, Ph.D., Global Associate Director for Regions, Lausanne Movement My two good friends have collaborated to write this book that, given their respective backgrounds and friendship, speaks powerfully into the call on each of us to practice justice, mercy, and humility to overcome racial tensions. -Bob Doll, Chief investment officer, Crossmark Global Investments In Required, two internationally respected Christian leaders allow us to "overhear" them as they have the kind of conversation many wish they could have: honest, direct, vulnerable, reasonable, and full of love. This book will equip the reader with a path toward seeking justice and mercy, as followers of Jesus are called to do, and to standing with and for one another, as brothers and sisters must. -Russell Moore, Christianity Today About the Authors Bishop Claude Alexander has served as the senior pastor of The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, for more than thirty years and is one of the most respected voices around the globe on the subject of race. He is a past president of the Hampton University Ministers Conference and serves on the boards of various respected organizations. Dr. Mac Pier is the founder of Movement.org and a Lausanne co-catalyst for cities. He has lived in New York City for thirty-five years where he founded the Concerts of Prayer Movement and cofounded Movement Day, which has engaged leaders from six continents and nine hundred cities.

Missio Alliance Essential Reading List Hearts Minds Bookstore's Best Books RELEVANT's Top 10 Books Englewood Review of Books Best Books When Soong-Chan Rah planted an urban church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his first full sermon series was a six-week exposition of the book of Lamentations. Preaching on an obscure, depressing Old Testament book was probably not the most seeker-sensitive way to launch a church. But it shaped their community with a radically countercultural perspective. The American church avoids lament. But lament is a missing, essential component of Christian faith. Lament recognizes struggles and suffering, that the world is not as it ought to be. Lament challenges the status quo and cries out for justice against existing injustices. Soong-Chan Rah's prophetic exposition of the book of Lamentations provides a biblical and theological lens for examining the church's relationship with a suffering world. It critiques our success-centered triumphalism and calls us to repent of our hubris. And it opens up new ways to encounter the other. Hear the prophet's lament as the necessary corrective for Christianity's future. A Resonate exposition of the book of Lamentations.

_The integral mission movement has flourished admirably, in Latin America and around the world-especially in the Majority World. While there is still work to be done in local churches, we can praise God for the progress we have seen in the practice of integral mission and hope this publication contributes to extending and deepening it even more. _

Knowable Word offers a foundation on why and how to study the Bible. Through a running study Genesis 1, this new edition illustrates how to Observe, Interpret, and Apply the Scripture-and gives the vision behind each step.